{"url":"https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/anchovies/omega-3-calcium-and-sustainable-seafood","path":"/anchovies/omega-3-calcium-and-sustainable-seafood","alternates":{"json":"https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/api/articles/anchovies/omega-3-calcium-and-sustainable-seafood.json","markdown":"https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/anchovies/omega-3-calcium-and-sustainable-seafood.md"},"topic":{"slug":"anchovies","name":"Anchovies","url":"https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/anchovies"},"slug":"omega-3-calcium-and-sustainable-seafood","order":1,"title":"Omega-3, Calcium, and Sustainable Seafood","question":"Are anchovies a healthy, low-mercury source of omega-3s?","answer":"Anchovies are rich in EPA and DHA and very low in mercury, and oily fish likely lower heart disease risk; anchovy-specific trials are lacking.","description":"How anchovies deliver some of the highest EPA and DHA concentrations of any fish, along with calcium, selenium, and B12 — at extremely low mercury levels","confidence":3,"confidenceNote":"Omega-3 and mercury levels are lab-measured; heart benefits come from fish cohort studies and reviews, and the calcium finding is a 27-rat study.","evidenceSummary":{"rctCount":0,"metaAnalysisCount":0,"replicated":true,"newestStudyYear":2024},"category":{"categoryTitle":"What's Good For You","categorySlug":"good-for-you","subcategoryName":"Foods & Drinks","subcategorySlug":"foods","url":"https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/explore/good-for-you/foods"},"actions":["Eat two to three servings a week of canned anchovies in water or olive oil, not cans packed in soybean or sunflower oil [1].","Eat canned anchovies with their soft, edible bones to get the calcium.","Treat salt-packed anchovies from jars as a flavoring, not an omega-3 source; salt-ripening cuts EPA and DHA by up to 70% [1]."],"cautions":["The calcium and bone finding comes from a 27-rat study; human bone benefits of anchovy calcium are unproven [5].","Heart benefits are clearest in cohort studies of whole fish; trials of omega-3 supplements are more mixed [2]."],"simpleText":"Anchovies are small saltwater fish packed with some of the highest concentrations of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids of any food [1]. Because they live short lives near the bottom of the food chain, they accumulate almost no mercury — making them one of the safest fatty fish to eat often [4]. A small tin delivers meaningful amounts of calcium (especially when eaten with bones), selenium, B12, and complete protein. They are also among the most sustainable seafood options on the planet, harvested in enormous quantities with low ecological impact.","mediumText":"A Dense Omega-3 Source in a Very Small Package\n\nFresh anchovy contains roughly 27 grams of combined EPA and DHA per 100 grams of total fat — one of the highest concentrations measured in any wild-caught fish [1]. Even after canning or marinating (which preserves most of the fatty acid profile), a small tin provides 700–1,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA per serving.\n\nThese long-chain omega-3 fats support cardiovascular health through several mechanisms: they reduce blood triglycerides, modestly lower blood pressure, improve arterial flexibility, reduce platelet aggregation, and decrease inflammatory signaling [2]. A 2020 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences confirmed that long-term cohort studies consistently link higher marine omega-3 intake to lower risk of coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular mortality [2].\n\nLow on the Food Chain, Low in Mercury\n\nBecause anchovies eat plankton and small crustaceans rather than other fish, they accumulate very little methylmercury. A 2021 analysis measuring total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in commercially important fish species found European anchovy averaged 0.05 μg/g THg — one of the lowest values of any tested species, well below regulatory limits and far below predatory fish like tuna or swordfish [4].\n\nAnchovies are also a significant source of selenium, which helps neutralize whatever small mercury load they do carry. When the selenium-to-mercury molar ratio exceeds 1:1, selenium's protective effect against mercury toxicity is engaged [4]. Anchovies meet this threshold comfortably — they provide selenium while carrying minimal mercury.\n\nCalcium, Selenium, and B12\n\nAnchovies eaten with their small bones (as in canned versions) provide meaningful amounts of calcium. A 2024 animal study found that anchovy calcium supplementation significantly increased osteoprotegerin expression in mandibular bone, promoting bone mineralization compared to controls [5]. The calcium in small fish comes packaged with phosphorus and vitamin D, nutrients that work together in bone metabolism.\n\nBeyond calcium, anchovies provide:\n\n- Vitamin B12 — essential for nerve function, red blood cell formation, and methylation pathways; one serving covers a substantial portion of the daily requirement\n- Selenium — a trace mineral important for thyroid hormone activation and glutathione peroxidase antioxidant activity\n- Iodine — critical for thyroid health, often low in diets that avoid processed salt\n- Niacin (B3) — supports energy metabolism and cardiovascular health\n\nA 2021 review of seafood's role in preventing non-communicable diseases highlighted that the value of fatty fish like anchovies extends well beyond omega-3 fats — the combination of taurine, selenium, iodine, B vitamins, and complete protein creates effects that isolated supplements cannot fully replicate [3].\n\nHow to Eat Them\n\nCanned in water or olive oil is the most practical form and retains most of the omega-3 content. Avoid cans packed in soybean or sunflower oil, which dilute the omega-3 benefit with inflammatory omega-6 fats [1].\n\nSalted anchovies (the kind sold in jars, packed in salt) undergo a long ripening process that reduces EPA and DHA content by up to 70%, so they are more useful as a flavoring than as an omega-3 source [1].\n\nEating the bones in canned anchovies is easy — they are soft and fully edible — and provides the calcium benefit. Don't remove them.\n\nFrequency: Two to three servings per week aligns with general fatty fish recommendations. Given their very low mercury levels, there is little reason to limit intake the way you might with tuna.\n\nSustainability: Anchovies like Engraulis encrasicolus (European) and Engraulis ringens (Peruvian) are harvested in massive quantities for fishmeal and fish oil production. Choosing anchovies destined for direct human consumption rather than industrial processing represents a more efficient use of marine resources.\n\nCross-reference: See our Sardines page for a closely related small fish with similar nutritional properties. See our Omega-3 page for a deeper look at how EPA and DHA work at the cellular level.","deepText":"Evidence Review\n\nFatty Acid Composition and Preservation Effects (Czerner et al., 2015)\n\nThis study published in the International Journal of Food Science & Nutrition analyzed fresh Argentine anchovy (Engraulis anchoita) and then tracked how three common preservation methods — salting-ripening, canning, and marinating — altered the chemical composition and fatty acid profile. Fresh anchovy showed approximately 45 g of polyunsaturated fatty acids per 100 g total lipid, with EPA + DHA together comprising 27.08 g per 100 g total lipid — among the highest concentrations reported for any food fish [1].\n\nThe key practical finding: salting-ripening (the traditional method used for salt-packed anchovies in jars) caused a roughly 70% reduction in total EPA and DHA content per 100 g edible portion, primarily through lipid oxidation during the months-long maturation process. By contrast, canned and marinated anchovies preserved a fatty acid profile close to fresh fish, though canning in vegetable oils increased total omega-6 content. The authors concluded that canned and marinated products remain valuable omega-3 sources, but salt-packed anchovies should not be relied upon for this purpose [1]. This is important guidance for consumers who use anchovy paste (typically salt-packed) versus canned anchovies in olive oil.\n\nMarine Omega-3 Cardiovascular Update (Innes and Calder, 2020)\n\nThis comprehensive review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences synthesized the evidence base for EPA and DHA from marine sources and cardiovascular disease outcomes. The authors — from the School of Human Development and Health, University of Southampton — examined both long-term prospective cohort studies and randomized controlled trials [2].\n\nKey conclusions from cohort data: higher intake of fatty fish and marine omega-3s was consistently associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), myocardial infarction (MI), and cardiovascular mortality in the general population. The biological mechanisms identified include: reduction in blood triglycerides (at doses of 2–4 g EPA+DHA/day), modest blood pressure reduction, improved arterial compliance, antiarrhythmic effects on cardiac conduction, reduced platelet aggregation, improved endothelial function, and decreased pro-inflammatory eicosanoid synthesis [2].\n\nThe authors noted that evidence from RCTs using omega-3 supplements is more mixed than cohort data, which may reflect differences between supplements and whole fish (which contain taurine, selenium, and other co-nutrients), and the different populations studied. For whole fish consumption, observational evidence for cardiovascular benefit is considered strong and consistent [2].\n\nSeafood and Non-Communicable Disease Prevention (Jamioł-Milc et al., 2021)\n\nThis review published in Nutrients evaluated the evidence for seafood consumption as a dietary strategy for preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) — cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and mental disorders — in adults. The authors reviewed human studies on seafood intake and disease outcomes and found consistent protective associations for cardiovascular endpoints, particularly for oily fish rich in EPA and DHA [3].\n\nThe review highlighted that the nutritional value of fatty fish like anchovies extends beyond omega-3 content. Seafood is also a source of taurine (which reduces blood pressure and oxidative stress), vitamin D, selenium (important for thyroid function and antioxidant defense), iodine, and astaxanthin. The combination of these nutrients is thought to produce cardiovascular effects that exceed what fish oil supplementation alone achieves in clinical trials. The authors recommended at least two servings of oily fish per week for cardiovascular risk reduction [3].\n\nMercury, Methylmercury, and Selenium in Fish (Barone and Storelli, 2021)\n\nPublished in Toxics, this study measured total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg), and selenium concentrations in multiple commercially important fish species, with a particular focus on food safety for children and other sensitive populations [4].\n\nEuropean anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) averaged 0.05 μg/g THg and 0.04 μg/g MeHg — among the lowest values in the dataset. Large predatory species averaged 10–20 times higher mercury concentrations. The European regulatory limit for fish destined for human consumption is 0.5 μg/g (1.0 μg/g for larger predators), meaning anchovies carry about 10% of the allowable mercury burden [4].\n\nThe study also analyzed selenium levels. Selenium reduces mercury toxicity by sequestering mercury as an inert selenium-mercury complex, preventing it from binding to biological targets. When the selenium:mercury molar ratio exceeds 1:1, this protective mechanism operates effectively. Small pelagic fish like anchovy have selenium:mercury ratios well above this threshold, meaning their selenium content actively offsets their minimal mercury load [4]. The authors concluded that consuming anchovies and similar small pelagic fish presents no significant mercury health risk and offers net nutritional benefit from the omega-3 and selenium content.\n\nAnchovy Calcium and Bone Mineralization (Sugiharto et al., 2024)\n\nThis animal study published in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology investigated whether dietary anchovy calcium could support bone development, using osteoprotegerin (OPG) expression as a biomarker of osteoblast activity [5]. OPG is a protein produced by osteoblasts that inhibits osteoclast-mediated bone resorption — higher OPG expression indicates greater bone-building activity. …","deepTruncated":true,"references":[{"id":"1","title":"Effect of different preservation processes on chemical composition and fatty acid profile of anchovy (Engraulis anchoita)","authors":"Czerner M, Agustinelli SP, Guccione S, Yeannes MI","year":2015,"journal":"International Journal of Food Science & Nutrition","pmid":"26576657","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26576657/"},{"id":"2","title":"Marine Omega-3 (N-3) Fatty Acids for Cardiovascular Health: An Update for 2020","authors":"Innes JK, Calder PC","year":2020,"journal":"International Journal of Molecular Sciences","pmid":"32085487","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32085487/"},{"id":"3","title":"Seafood Intake as a Method of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Prevention in Adults","authors":"Jamioł-Milc D, Biernawska J, Liput M, Stachowska L, Domiszewski Z","year":2021,"journal":"Nutrients","pmid":"33922600","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33922600/"},{"id":"4","title":"Levels of Mercury, Methylmercury and Selenium in Fish: Insights into Children Food Safety","authors":"Barone G, Storelli A","year":2021,"journal":"Toxics","pmid":"33672494","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33672494/"},{"id":"5","title":"The potential calcium content of anchovy (Stolephorus sp.) on mandibular bone growth through osteoprotegerin expression analysis","authors":"Sugiharto S, Salmah S, Fauziah E, Ramadany S, Wajdiyah U, Achmad H","year":2024,"journal":"Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology","pmid":"39670138","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39670138/"}],"wordCount":1720,"source":{"path":"src/content/topics/anchovies/omega-3-calcium-and-sustainable-seafood.md"},"citeAs":"“Are anchovies a healthy, low-mercury source of omega-3s?.” What's Healthy and Why. https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/anchovies/omega-3-calcium-and-sustainable-seafood","notice":"General information backed by peer-reviewed research, not medical advice."}